Optical retailer Specsavers has partnered with iconic football manager Harry Redknapp to coach one of the UK’s worst-performing grassroots football team.
Forming part of its ongoing ‘Best Worst Team’ campaign, the campaign will focus on an underfunded area of sport that relies heavily on excellent sight and hearing – grassroots football.
Promoted through eight fly-on-the-wall documentary-style episodes hosted on the retailer’s YouTube channel, Swansea-based Cwm Albion will now receive in-person coaching from former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.
“For decades, Specsavers has celebrated and made heroes of those who really ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’. This year, we wanted to take our commitment to celebrating those human moments to the next level, by investing in an underfunded area of culture which relies heavily on excellent sight and hearing – grassroots football,” Specsavers head of consumer PR, social media & brand activation, Lisa Hale said.
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“We are delighted to announce Harry Redknapp as the team’s celebrity coach who brings unparalleled experience to help transform the worst performing team into hopefully one of the best. Working with influencers Chunkz and Elz the Witch, we hope to reach new audiences with this campaign and encourage more people to follow the team’s incredible journey.”
Developed by Tangerine with media strategy and execution by Golin and Freshwater, the series will be narrated by former England star Jill Scott OBE and will feature the support of influencers Chunkz and Elz the Witch.
Tangerine creative director, Martin Kevill added: “With a little support from VAR, we’ve helped Specsavers build quite the bond with football fans on social media over the past five years, and it’s so exciting to be able to take this authority and tell a heart-warming, grassroots story with the greatest subjects we could’ve wished for in Cwm Albion.
“There is obviously a strong Should’ve Gone to Specsavers message here, but this year’s Best Worst Team aims to celebrate a football club that has been going for over 100 years with an inspiring commitment to community. It’s also going to be great fun working with Harry, Jill and the boys. Let’s leave Cwm Albion with something to cherish forever.”
